1. Field of the Invention
This invention is concerned with an anti-jamming device for a ticket vending machine containing a printer. More particularly, the invention is concerned with ticket vending machines containing printers placed or located in public places which places may be subjected to vandalism, actually or playfully.
2. Description of the Prior Act
It is well known that machines which distribute tickets, such as vending machines or machines for dispensing a ticket or memorandum determining time of arrival for service, may be damaged due to accidental causes or vandalism.
Machines of this type also generally contain printers to print tickets or other memoranda containing pertinent or usable information, which tickets can be purchased, for example, at a theater and after the tickets are purchased the machines print the tickets, or the provision of usable information to determine when an individual should be serviced.
General components of these vending machines might, in some instances, be provided with a printer unit and paper cutting devices to cut a paper from a paper ticket roll to form a ticket which is dispensed from a roll, placed inside the vending machine. Accordingly, a ticket or paper printer and a cutting mechanism are presented in succession or in series with one another, and the paper generally is dispensed from the paper roll which is set and moved by rollers conventionally driven by electric motors or other suitable means towards the machine exit for the paper or ticket at which point the user obtains the ticket or paper or a stamp, if a stamp is being dispensed.
In the prior art, devices are known which are intended to avoid a pull or dragging of the paper from the roll in an excessive or undesirable manner. These devices generally place the paper on channelings or grooves with an angulated route having a curved inner portion or configuration and a cutting blade so to have the paper cut when the paper is pulled and placed into tension onto the blade from a pulling action actuated by the machine user.
These current systems, therefore, only provide means to cut the paper ticket at the exit after the paper is fed or pulled through the exit, and once the paper/ticket is pulled so as to avoid an unrolling of the paper roll placed inside the machine.
When a printed ticket is involved to provide a unique ticket for an individual, it is important that the ticket not be mutilated or destroyed. In order to overcome the aforesaid problems, the proposed improvement for these vending machines provides for a novel proposal that prevents a jamming of the vending machines or printers which are placed in public places owing to an occlusion or transversal disposition of the paper or a blockage of the paper. In fact, it is noted that a greater part of the upkeep actions or requirements of these machines is due to the fact that the paper for various reasons and causes becomes jammed near the distributing exit of the vending machine. Moreover, the paper forming the new exiting ticket is pushed and activated by an electric motor which operates a roll at the exit end with the paper already jammed which results in a consequent blocking of the vending machine. In the printer art, generally, a vending machine distributes tickets and generally includes a printer unit and a cutting unit. Inside the machine, a paper capstan or drive roll is driven by an electric motor. The capstan or roll is a paper holder. In some versions of the paper movement moved from rolls, the paper movement is accomplished by connecting the paper rolls to the electric motor, and the electric motor determines and substantially controls the advancement of the paper from the paper capstan or reel. The paper is then driven inside a conventional duct towards an exit or paper exit opening.